Spread of weeds from a roadside into sclerophyll forests at Dartmouth, Australia

Summary: The extent to which alien plants have spread from an old roadside into three sclerophyll forest communities was measured at a new dam site in Victoria, Australia. The data are discussed in terms of the possible spread of weeds at sites disturbed by the dam construction and subsequent tourist activities. The frequency of alien plants in the forests declines with increasing distance from the road, and was correlated with the reduction in diffuse light. Wetter communities were more heavily colonized than drier communities. Rubus procerus P. J. Muell. and Hypochoeris radicata L. were the most successful colonizers. R. procerus , which has become a major weed in the area, was most common near wet sites such as gullies and old water races formerly used for gold mining.